Increase your effectiveness with a sound decision making process

Frame, Innovate, Decide, then Manage, forms the basis for our decision making process. Our process is built on a decision making model that captures information in the form of one or more decisions. Decisions become knowledge "containers" that help us move an overwhelming flood of information into an accessible knowledge structure that helps rather than hinders.

Frame your decision or network of decisions

What is your decision environment? What needs must be addressed? Who is impacted? What information is available (watch out for information overload)? What is the value of the decision? When is the decision needed?

To increase your decision making accuracy you want to expend effort on framing the context of your decision. Don't forget about establishing the value of the decision! You don't want to spend 10 minutes on deciding what coffee to buy. It's not worth your time. On the other end of the spectrum, it is also a mistake to only spend $200 on a $200,000 decision. (See more on planning decision making.)

Innovate to better address needs

How many alternatives have you considered during the decision process (if only 2 you are not done)? Do you need a new solution, or are previous solutions adequate? Reuse is a key part of the innovate stage. Innovation does not mean re-invention. Decision making advantages can be created through innovation, but create new alternatives that bring new benefits, not just new work. Remember that deciding fast can be a benefit. Recognize that innovation can be enhanced through collaboration which would require additional time but leads to better results. (See more on decision alternatives.)

Decide and commit to act

Evaluate your alternatives based on your criteria. Does one stand out as a clear winner? Which alternatives, while highly attractive, are also laden with excessive risk? Which alternatives more closely align with strong opportunities? Have you spent the effort needed to ensure a quality decision making result? If so, decide, then determine what is needed next and commit to required actions. (Learn more on how to make a decision with our decision analysis process.)

Manage communication, consequences, changes, risks, ...

Is it over, yet? Maybe, with low value isolated decisions. However, with most decisions you can expect to have to communicate to those impacted, and manage any number of consequences, including impacts to relationships. Don't be surprised to see a medium to high value decision generate a large network of related decisions. (See the Manage step for more on decision implementation.)

Learn more about the process for decision making from the following topics